1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer virus infection information providing system for detecting a computer virus in information transmitted between a terminal apparatus and a central apparatus and providing infection information concerning the detected computer virus, and in particular, to a computer virus infection information providing system for providing the time of the infection and route of infection as infection information and thereby providing information on how the user terminal apparatus was infected with the computer virus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, computer viruses which invade computers from the Internet or computer memory products such as floppy disks and prevent normal operation of the computers intentionally are spreading. These computer viruses infect not only an initially infected computer but also the other computers. Thus, when a computer virus of new kind is found out, an appropriate anti-virus software is prepared immediately. The anti-virus software is distributed to users.
The anti-virus software is generally installed on user terminal apparatuses. Each terminal apparatus performs virus check every predetermined time interval or every time of file operation. As the result of virus check, the terminal apparatus detects the computer virus.
Further, recently, there is computer virus that attaches the computer virus as the attached file of an e-mail transmitted via the Internet, and distributes the attached file to the third party indiscriminatingly. In order to treat such computer viruses, an Internet service provider (ISP, hereafter) installs anti-virus software in a central apparatus. Then, the central apparatus performs virus check on the files passing through the network, thereby blocking the further infection of the computer virus.
However, in the prior art, even when the central apparatus has detected the presence of a computer virus in the information transmitted by a user, the user is merely informed of the detection of the computer virus. This leaves the problem that the user cannot understand when and from where the computer virus invaded his or her terminal apparatus. In particular, considering the increasing number of cases of infection via the Internet, it is desired to provide detailed infection information to the users.
Further, it is effective that anti-virus software of the latest version is installed also in user terminal apparatuses in addition to the central apparatus of the ISP. However, after initial installation of anti-virus software prepared by anti-virus software house, only a few users update the anti-virus software. This causes the problem of inefficiency in removing computer viruses.
Furthermore, development of anti-virus software needs a large cost. Nevertheless, ordinary users are not willing to pay for the update of the anti-virus software after initial installation of the anti-virus software. Such a situation has exacerbated the profitability of anti-virus software houses.
In addition, each ISP desires superiority to the other ISP's and a higher added value. For the purpose of this, ISP's have desired to construct a system for providing detailed computer virus infection information to the users. Further, ISP's have desired to construct a system for distributing the latest version of anti-virus software to each user and for collecting the development cost of the anti-virus software.